KrisFlyer News Singapore Airlines

More new SIA Regional Business Class seats to Bangkok, Hong Kong & Bengaluru

Our roundup of the latest routes to feature the new Singapore Airlines Regional Business Class

2018 RJ-5

With the northern summer schedules kicking in later this month, here’s a quick roundup on the 2018 Regional Business Class seats, which are progressively appearing on more routes.

A total of 18 cities will be served from Singapore with these new seats from May 2019, Kuala Lumpur being the shortest and Brisbane the longest.

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SIA’s 2018 Regional Business Class

This new product is a far cry from the older 2-2-2 Regional Business Class ‘sloped bed’ seats, with enhanced privacy, direct aisle access for all passengers and a fully-flat sleeping position.

We reviewed it last year on a flight from Singapore to Bangkok.

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Click here to read our full review of the Singapore Airlines 2018 Regional Business Class

We also flew the same product back from Bangkok to Singapore to write a special focus on the ‘couple’ middle pairs, a nice option for those travelling with a colleague, friend or partner.

Love Seats.jpg
The 2018 Regional Business Class ‘couple’ middle pair. (Photo: MainlyMiles)

Many airlines are using this seat as their long-haul Business Class product, soon to be joined apparently by Turkish Airlines, so it’s great to see Singapore Airlines installing it for regional and medium-haul sectors.

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Bangkok

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(Photo: Robby McCullough)

Currently seeing just one flight per day with the latest Regional Business Class product, this is set to increase to two flights from 31st March 2019.

Both the existing SQ982/983 flight and the final flight of the day operating one hour later (SQ978/981) will be flown by the 787-10 from this date, as highlighted below.

Singapore to Bangkok

From 31st March 2019
Flight From / To Aircraft Seats
SQ970 SIN0710 – BKK0835 333 2009 RJ
SQ972* SIN0935 – BKK1105 772 2009 RJ*
SQ974 SIN1250 – BKK1420 333 2009 RJ
SQ976 SIN1600 – BKK1725 333 2009 RJ
SQ982 SIN1730 – BKK1900 787 2018 RJ
SQ978 SIN1830 – BKK2000 787 2018 RJ

* 2006 J seats in July and August, and from 27th October

Bangkok to Singapore

From 31st March 2019
Flight From / To Aircraft Seats
SQ973 BKK0940 – SIN1305 333 2009 RJ
SQ975** BKK1215 – SIN1540 772 2009 RJ**
SQ977 BKK1530 – SIN1855 333 2009 RJ
SQ979 BKK1830 – SIN2155 333 2009 RJ
SQ983 BKK2010 – SIN2330 787 2018 RJ
SQ981 BKK2110 – SIN0025* 787 2018 RJ

* Next day
** 2006 J seats in July and August, and from 27th October

Other flights on this route are operated by A330 or 777-200 aircraft with 2009 Regional Business Class seats, though keep your eye out for the 2006 Business Class product on the 777-200ER operating SQ972/975 during July and August, and from 27th October through the northern winter season.

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Hong Kong

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(Photo: Florian Wehde)

A new route for the 2018 Regional Business Class seats, with the daily afternoon / evening rotation SQ872/871 shifting from the 777-200 to the 787-10 from 31st March 2019.

Singapore to Hong Kong

From 31st March 2019
Flight From / To Aircraft Seats
SQ890 SIN0730 – HKG1120 772 2009 RJ
SQ860 SIN0840 – HKG1240 359 2013 J
SQ856 SIN0955 – HKG1355 388 2017 J
SQ866 SIN1305 – HKG1705 77W 2013 J
SQ872 SIN1430 – HKG1840 787 2018 RJ
SQ2 SIN1830 – HKG2215 77W 2013 J
SQ868* SIN1955 – HKG2350 772 2009 RJ*

* 2006 J seats from 1st June

Hong Kong to Singapore

From 31st March 2019
Flight From / To Aircraft Seats
SQ1 HKG0800 – SIN1150 77W 2013 J
SQ857* HKG0905 – SIN1300 772 2009 RJ*
SQ891 HKG1225 – SIN1620 772 2009 RJ
SQ863 HKG1425 – SIN1820 359 2013 J
SQ861 HKG1540 – SIN1935 388 2017 J
SQ865 HKG1850 – SIN2240 77W 2013 J
SQ871 HKG1955 – SIN2355 787 2018 RJ

* 2006 J seats from 1st June

In other changes on the Hong Kong route the SQ868/857 flights switch to the 777-200ER with 2006 Business Class seats from 1st June 2019, returning another long-haul seat type to the route.

From 1st June therefore the Hong Kong route becomes a complete mishmash of SIA Business Class seats, featuring all five of the airline’s J products across the seven daily flights.

Bengaluru

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As we already announced in December last year, SIA’s replacement of Scoot on the Bengaluru route meant the introduction of the A350 Regional on this city pair, with three-times weekly flights featuring the new 2018 Regional Business Class seats.

No surprise therefore that Singapore Airlines has gone one further and also replaced its existing daily 777-200 flight (SQ502/503) with the A350 Regional too, from the same date.

Singapore to Bengaluru

From 17th May 2019
Flight From / To Aircraft Days
SQ502 SIN2005 – BLR2150 359 Daily
SQ504 SIN2220 – BLR0005* 359 ····567

* Next day

Bengaluru to Singapore

From 17th May 2019 (SQ505 from 18th May 2019)
Flight From / To Aircraft Days
SQ505 BLR0120 – SIN0825 359 1····67
SQ503 BLR2305 – SIN0610* 359 Daily

* Next day

This leaves only SilkAir offering an inferior product (for now) on its five-times weekly 737 MAX 8 flights to Bengaluru – one to avoid until the flat-bed seats are installed.

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Redemption rates

Here are the KrisFlyer redemption rates for saver awards by route for these three destinations.

KFtrans

KrisFlyer Redemption Rates
Economy Business
Bangkok 12,500 21,500
Bengaluru 18,500 39,000
Hong Kong 15,000 30,500

Other changes

A few other changes are coming into force with the northern summer timetable from the end of March. Here are our highlights.

  • As we’ve mentioned previously in our seat tracker, the Delhi 787-10 flight (SQ402/401) reverts to a 777-200 with 2009 Regional Business Class seats during April, but then switches back to the 787-10 from 1st May.
  • Manila gets a 777-200ER with 2006 Business Class seats throughout March on SQ916/921, then from 31st March to 30th September switching to SQ912/919. The route is also served by the 2018 RJ seat (SQ918/915) and the 2009 RJ seat (all other flights).
  • Jakarta also sees the 777-200ER with 2006 J seats on SQ968/951 from 31st March to 1st July, meaning you can experience four out of five of SIA’s Business Class seat types on this route during that period (only the 2017 J doesn’t fly there).
SQ 77W 2006J (miya.m).jpg
A few shorter flights like Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta will get a welcome upgrade from the 2009 RJ seats to the 2006 J (pictured) this summer. (Photo: miya.m)
  • Regulars on the SQ832/835 Shanghai flights will be disappointed with a downgrade from the 2013 J seat on the existing 777-300ER to the 2009 RJ seat using the 777-200 from 27th April, but will appreciate some respite with the 2006 J seats on the 777-200ER during June and July.

Remember our Business Class seats by route page shows you all the details of the seat type you can expect by route, individual flight number and date. Be sure to bookmark it as we regularly update the information from changes reflected in the GDS.

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Summary

You can see our updated list of routes with the new 2018 Regional Business Class seats here.

From mid-May 2019 there will be 18 destinations served from Singapore with at least one flight per day featuring these new seats. That’s a very quick ramp up following the first introduction of the product to commercial service around a year ago, in April 2018.

It’s a total that’s set to increase further with our recent prediction that an additional seven 787-10s and up to 15 A350s (many or perhaps all of them the Regional variant) are likely to join the fleet over the 12 months.

2018 RJ-4
Now featuring on 18 routes, more 2018 RJ seats are set to be added to the SIA fleet in 2019 and 2020. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)

Most of these will replace A330s, with leases on the remaining 18 aircraft progressively expiring between now and approximately September 2020.

The exact totals will be revealed at the next SIA investor update, but look out for many more 2018 Regional Business Class seats on the network over the next year. As always, we’ll update you as soon as we know where they’re flying.

(Cover Image: Singapore Airlines)

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